Originally Posted by
galaxy flyer
If there is any form of transportation ripe for automation, it’s trains. They work in one dimension and two directions—forward and backward. They’re not going anywhere else, nothing happens in a hurry, either. Not even started happening. One coal operator automated a private train hauling coal about 20 miles on their property thirty years ago, closed now. Never duplicated.
GF
There are several reasons they have not automated trains yet. Like aircraft, train engines take years to design, cost a ton, and have a long service life. Also, train engineers are pretty cheap. Their pay has gone way down and you don't need very many of them.